A Very Different Prologue
by SomeoneI'mSure
Summary: Hvitur the IceWing is on a heroic mission to retrieve a SkyWing dragonet from the SkyWing's hatchery. And Kestrel has something to say about this. (Featured Characters: Nautilis, Hvitur, Kestrel)


As rain slashed down from the sky, the IceWing beat his mighty wings, pushing himself further and further away from the SkyWing mountain. He clutched the red egg close to his cold scales, wrapped his forearms around it to fight the wet rain and harsh wind that threatened to send it spiraling down below. He could practically feel the little heartbeat of the dragonet, so fast and excited, like his own.

His head felt dizzy with shock and relief. He was surprised that he had somehow managed to escape the clutches of the SkyWing and SandWing guards, even more surprised when the mass majority of them hadn't even shown up for their shift. Perhaps the Talons of Peace had been working their magic from the inside, or perhaps that one SkyWing guard had been telling him the truth about everyone going away for Scarlet's big birthday gladiator bash and also really had wanted him to steal the egg for the Prophecy. He could remember that hopeful expression on the SkyWing's face when he had told the guard he was from the Talons of Peace, and he remembered his own suspicion, thinking perhaps this was a trap set for him and knowing he had no other option but to fall for it. It would only be a few days before the Brightest Night, a few days before the prophecy dragonets would be hatched.

"The Dragonets are coming," the guard had whispered as he slipped inside of the hatchery.

"The Dragonets are coming," the IceWing repeated, quickly spying the largest dragon egg.

He had no idea when the dragonet would really hatch – no one did – but this living hope for the future pulsed through his body like liquid energy, driving him through the rain and wind, despite the fact that he was not designed for it. A part of him wished it was snowing or hailing, as the wet rain clung to his scales and frosted at his touch, slowing him down. He fought every second, pushed himself beyond his limits, trying to make it to the first safe haven, passed the cliffs and in the ravines.

An angry shriek pierced the air. He turned his head down and behind him, his heart nearly stopping at the sight of pale gold scales flashing under the light of bursts of fire. The IceWing shuddered from horns to tail, sending a spray of frost flying everywhere. The SandWing guards were coming.

He swooped low, searching for a place to land and stash his cargo, but the rocks were jagged and pointy. The IceWing wouldn't be able to fight on them or stash the egg without it tumbling way somewhere and potentially getting smashed. Grimacing, he gripped the egg tighter in his arms and swooped around a large spire, turning to face the oncoming guards and hoping his frost breath would be enough.

Realizing what he was doing, the SandWings flared their wings and halted, hovering a good distance away from the range of his firebreath. One of the SandWings hefted a spear and tossed it towards the IceWing, but the rain and wind sent it arcing too far to the side.

The IceWing felt a smile of triumph and satisfaction, realizing that they wouldn't dare to get too close to his frost breath. At the same time, he realized he couldn't go back to the safe haven until the dragons were dealt with, or else they'd find the others. Letting out a challenging growl, the IceWing dove towards the SandWings, feeling the ice-cold frost building in his throat as he prepared to spit.

The SandWings scattered, spreading out around the IceWing to flank him. The middle one, a large off-white female, puffed out her chest and let out a belch of flame that hissed in the rain. The IceWing responded with his own ice-spit, which cut curved down through the rain and landed with deadly accuracy on the SandWing's inner thigh. She screamed and plummeted, writhing and curling to breath fire on the rapidly blackening spot.

The IceWing couldn't help but wince in sympathy; it had been many long years since he had known the ice-cold mindset that came with constantly killing the other dragons. He hated it. He wished he was still with the Talons of Peace right now, with his friends and his mate, not out here in the middle of a war where he could potentially end up dead.

He twisted around to collide with another SandWing, who slashed at his forearms and nearly loosed his hold on the egg. A bellow of rage escaped him and he spat in the dragonet's face, a tiny spray compared to the line of ice-spit he had nailed the other SandWing with. The SandWing reared back and blasted his face with a cone of fire, scorching his ice-cold scales. He kicked out with his hindlegs and twisted away, sensing that the other dragon had done the same.

They were back to back, flying straight up into the clouds, when the IceWing realized something was wrong. A flash of lightning filled the sky and he saw a dark silhouette of a dragon in the clouds, wings tucked in and nose pointed straight for him. He had a moment of clarity, of realizing he would not be able to twist out of the way in time, that the dragon would be slamming straight into his chest where he held the egg.

A dark red flash of scales slammed into his chest and he felt the egg smash, just as a roaring fireball flew into his face. He felt his consciousness immediately start to slip away, vaguely aware of the egg, now shattered, falling out of his reach. He had failed his mission. He had failed the SkyWing. He had failed the talons of peace.

The white dragon plummeted down to the rocks below, never to rise again.

* * *

"He isn't coming."

The dark red dragon glared up at the hole in the roof, watching as rain pooled down into the cave. She had no idea what had happened to the IceWing, all she knew was that he was very late and that did not bode well for their great and oh-so-magnificent Prophecy.

"Who's bright idea was it to send an IceWing, an enemy of the SkyWings, to fetch a SkyWing egg?" she growled, turning towards the nearest SeaWing, an adult green male with unusual black spiral patterns down his spine.

The SeaWing gave a long-suffering sigh, looking more bone-weary than he should at his age. "It's fine," he said. "We already have one SkyWing egg. We just needed another for a backup."

"You sent Hvitur out on a fool's mission," accused the SkyWing. "It's exactly this kind of thing that made most of us leave our so-called Queens!"

"Scarlet is dead," the SeaWing replied. "If you want to return to the SkyWings, you are free to do so. I hear Ruby is a much kinder replacement."

"She's no true Queen," countered the SkyWing. "The SandWings killed Scarlet, not her. For all I know, she's as weak a fighter as an ostrich and even worse protector of our people than Scarlet." The SkyWing sneered. "It would explain why she's bowing to that SandWing brute. The pathetic coward."

The SeaWing blinked at her silently and stared passed her like she not worth his time to properly see. Fury sparked inside of her, threatening to launch out of her mouth in a furious fireball of death, but she swallowed it. Whether she liked it or not, she was a member of the Talons of Peace now, with no where else to go, and he was the leader of the Talons of Peace. Still, she hated all the secrecy, especially when they threw away the lives of their dragons, especially so when they were good dragons like Hvitur. The IceWing and SkyWing may not have been exactly friends, but they had a mutual understanding and respect. Something that the SeaWing seemed to lack.

"Kestrel, you will go find another SkyWIng egg. We need-"

The SkyWing rolled her eyes. "I know, I know, 'We need as many as we get who are going to hatch around the time of the Brightest Night so we have back ups for the prophecy'." She snarled as if insulted. "Do you think I'm just hatched?"

The SeaWing shrugged her words off. "Excellent. I'll check in on Asha. Be sure to meet the deadline on time. We can't lose another egg."

"Whatever."


End file.
